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Recruiting Participants for the Mansfield-Luce Asia Scholars Network

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation is pleased to announce the recruitment of the third group of scholars for the Mansfield-Luce Asia Scholars Network. The vast geographic size and diversity of East Asia have created unfortunate divides between Northeast and Southeast Asia specialists. Given the complex nature of the region and its growing integration, these divides serve as an obstacle to understanding the complexities of contemporary Asia as a whole. They also compromise efforts to create cohesive and sustainable U.S. policies to advance its vital national interests across a region that will decisively shape the 21st century. This initiative, supported by the Henry Luce Foundation, was launched with our first cohort in 2019 and continues this effort to inform Asia specialists in the United States about this growing regional integration in Asia, as well as foster the growth and connectivity of U.S. specialists with the ability to think holistically about the world’s most dynamic and strategically important region.

Purpose of the Program
The Mansfield-Luce Asia Scholars Network is to identify and connect American scholars and practitioners specializing in Asia who demonstrate an interest in and extraordinary potential for becoming policy intellectuals. This program is designed for recent graduates of PhD or doctorate degree programs, junior faculty, or policy practitioners who have an interest in becoming policy intellectuals. We will support them in this effort in order to expand connections between scholars and practitioners, helping to reinvigorate policy-relevant scholarship on contemporary Asia with the ultimate goal of contributing to the formulation of a more cohesive and sustainable U.S. approach to the Indo-Pacific. These scholars will include regional specialists with diverse expertise and perspectives who can participate constructively in the policymaking process in the mid- and long-term and contribute to better understanding within U.S.-Asia relations by teaching and inspiring future generations. 

Eligibility and Terms
All applicants must be American citizens or permanent U.S. residents and possess a PhD or equivalent degree/experience with expertise in Southeast or Northeast Asia studies. Candidates may include recently graduated PhDs, those pursuing a doctorate degree, Assistant Professor or Associate Professor-level academics, and policy practitioners.

Participants must be fully dedicated to the one-year program and able to participate in all scheduled meetings. Participants will be expected to participate in:

  • a two-day policy workshop in Washington, DC for scholars (October 2023);
  • a long weekend retreat in Montana (April or May 2024);
  • a two-week study trip to Asia (June or July 2024); and
  • a publication launch event in Washington, DC (October 2024).

Throughout the one-year program, participants will be expected to: develop their network of contacts; engage with other Network members and advisors; research and draft a concise policy paper on a topic of their choosing relevant to U.S.-Asia relations; optionally produce op-ed pieces, policy commentary, and podcasts on important policy issues in U.S.-Asia relations; engage others in the academic and policy fields with what they have learned; prepare for and actively participate in the program’s retreat and study trip; and participate in group activities and support the program’s larger goals and objectives. Policy papers will be submitted to the Foundation and edited into a publication for dissemination at the end of the one-year period, overlapping with the start of the next cohort. Financial support for those selected is limited to coverage of travel, accommodations, and meal expenses associated with participation in program meetings and study trips. 

Applications and Selection
Please find the application and instructions here: 
https://mansfieldfdn.org/asia-scholars-network-application

Applications are due August 28, 2023 by 5:00 p.m. (ET) and can be submitted electronically to applications@mansfieldfdn.org. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and participants will be announced in October 2023. The Mansfield Foundation will select up to twelve participants for this cohort.

For further information, please contact Associate Director of Programs, Ms. Ari Lee, at alee@mansfieldfdn.org.